News

Sapporo is the largest Asian import beer brand by U.S. dollar sales by a wide margin, but Sapporo-Stone leadership has its sights on doubling the brand’s share of overall imports in the coming years, executives said during the brand’s virtual annual business plan meeting with wholesalers last week.

The formal union of Jack’s Abby and Night Shift Brewing had an air of inevitability. Night Shift co-founder Rob Burns and HFB co-owner Sam Hendler discussed the whys of the deal, how scale will change HFB’s business relationships and what’s next.

Craft breweries made an average of $1,511.35 in total revenue per barrel of beer sold in 2023, according to the Brewers Association’s (BA) financial benchmarking survey.

Brewers Association VP of marketing and communications Ann Obenchain joins this week’s Brewbound Podcast to discuss how the trade group reimagined the Great American Beer Festival. The refreshed GABF takes place Thursday through Saturday in Denver, and attendees should expect a more experiential feel this year.

U.S. beer shipments declined -7.7% in August 2024, according to domestic tax paid estimates from the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau shared by the Beer Institute. Brewers shipped an estimated 13 million barrels in August 2024, down from the 14,080,189 barrels shipped in August 2023.

Jack’s Abby and Hendler Family Brewing Company (HFB) are adding another Massachusetts brewery to their portfolio. HFB has agreed to purchase Everett, Massachusetts-based Night Shift Brewing. Financial details were not disclosed.

Allagash Brewing is opening up its playbook in 2025 to hit key growth areas within craft. The Portland, Maine-based craft brewery’s lineup for next year includes the addition of Allagash Lager and Hazy IPA to the company’s year-round lineup, as well as a year-round variety pack that will be available across the company’s Northeast footprint.

Crowns & Hops has stepped away from the Circle of Crowns Beverage Group (CCBG), the strategic alliance that was formed earlier this year with fellow California-based and Black-owned beverage brand Full Circle Brewing, as well as the latter’s sibling brands Speakeasy Ales and Lagers and Sonoma Cider.

Consumer spending on food and beverages away from home continues to account for the majority of food and beverage costs, National Beer Wholesalers Association (NBWA) chief economist and VP of analytics Lester Jones said during the trade organization’s Annual Convention last week in San Diego.

As Sober October kicks into gear, adult non-alcoholic (ANA) beverages are expected to have another strong month. But that popularity has shifted the competitive retail landscape as bigger players enter the space and price-conscious consumers hold back on expensive purchases.

Folks, October is upon us – and you can just feel the excitement in the Jess Infante household for the influx of tourists about to overrun Salem, MA, with candy-fueled glee, tacky witch hats, freewheeling money and … noise. But don’t worry, Jess – SAM ADAMS has ya covered with this new at-home séance kit to escape it all and connect with Salem residents of yore … or maybe even Sam himself!

The 2025 plan for Stone Brewing is addition by subtraction, discontinuing several “unproductive” brands and packages nationally, including special releases, the Enjoy By IPA series and large-format bottles in order to put a heavy emphasis on core brands, as well the expansion of newish lager brands.

The 87th Annual NBWA Annual Convention wrapped up earlier this week, and the Brewbound team recaps the themes of this year’s event. Jess, Zoe and Justin break down the buzzy topics, including a push to support the on-premise channel (especially draft beer), the growing presence of intoxicating hemp beverages and how those products should get to market.

Vine Street Brewing Co. is Missouri’s first Black-owned brewery and part of the revitalization effort in Kansas City’s 18th and Vine Jazz District. In the latest edition of Brewbound’s A Round With, Vine Street co-founder Kemet Coleman shares why being a part of that turnaround effort was important and how the brewery is working through daily challenges.